Trails around Denver

I live/rent in the Cherry Creek area (Colorado Blvd and Cherry Creek South- near the Cherry Creek mall). I love Evergreen but since itís at least 45-60 minutes away, it is hard to ride there during the week. Are there any trails that are closer to where I live? It would be great to be able to ride in the evening and not have to drive a total of 1.5-2 hours. I donít know the area well enough since I just moved here three months ago so when someone mentions a trail, I canít really tell how close it is. Thanks for the help!!

CC trail/CC State Park

Originally Posted by Flyer

I live/rent in the Cherry Creek area (Colorado Blvd and Cherry Creek South- near the Cherry Creek mall). I love Evergreen but since itÔŅĹs at least 45-60 minutes away, it is hard to ride there during the week. Are there any trails that are closer to where I live? It would be great to be able to ride in the evening and not have to drive a total of 1.5-2 hours. I donÔŅĹt know the area well enough since I just moved here three months ago so when someone mentions a trail, I canÔŅĹt really tell how close it is. Thanks for the help!!

Road/path riding is about all you're gonna get. I live near Arapahoe and I-25 and from what I've seen there's no real singletrack anywhere on the east side of town, other than the little bit the parallels the CC bike path and some little singletrack sections at CC State Park, but they're all flat and tame. The closest real trails are Green Mtn, Deer Creek and Red Rocks/Dakota Ridge--all at least a half hour drive. More at rush hour.

About all you can do it throw some slicks on a bike and go roadie, or visit the BMX parks and do some jumping. The closest thing you'll find to real mtbing is gonna be getting on the CC trail, going south and connecting to the Highline Canal trail. It's a wide gravel path, but you could take it all the way to Waterton if you wanted to. It's a great way to get in lotsa miles without dodging cars. You'll still have to dodge people and dogs though--great practice for those Evergreen trails

Oh man, that isn't good news! I guess I could start riding the CC trail more. I do have a roadbike and I enjoy riding it so maybe that's the solution for those days when mountain bike riding is out of the question.

Nuthin' like livin' in Kansas

Originally Posted by Flyer

Good thing I live right across from the CC Bike Path- literally!

That'd be nice. I have about two miles of street to ride before reaching the relative safety of the park. The bike lane helps a bit, though. I'd like to start riding the canal, but I have about a 4 mile stretch of hell (Belleview and I-25 area, not a good idea at 5pm) to ride before getting to it, so that's out.

My wife and I will hopefully be getting out of our condo soon. Go west young man

I too live in Cherry Creek ....

For relatively close evening rides, I ride Green Mountain or Lair O' the Bear. Green Mountain is about 20 minutes from where I live (4th and Downing St.) and Lair O' the Bear is about 30 minutes, provided you don't leave between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

I live/rent in the Cherry Creek area (Colorado Blvd and Cherry Creek South- near the Cherry Creek mall). I love Evergreen but since itís at least 45-60 minutes away, it is hard to ride there during the week. Are there any trails that are closer to where I live? It would be great to be able to ride in the evening and not have to drive a total of 1.5-2 hours. I donít know the area well enough since I just moved here three months ago so when someone mentions a trail, I canít really tell how close it is. Thanks for the help!!

I find the least amount of traffic on 285W compared to 25 or 470
470N: Green Mtn, Morrison Slide, Dakota Ridge
Head west on 285: Mt. Falcon upper or lower, Myers Ranch
Should take 30-40 min approx.

I have one firm belief about the American political system, God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat P.J. O'Rourke

Along the CC bike path, West side of Havana, before the JFK golf course. There is about a mileor so of semi-single track that is fun to play on. The only bad part is you gotta watch out for the Goat Head's (stickers)... lots of flats to be had around there.

Along the CC bike path, West side of Havana, before the JFK golf course. There is about a mileor so of semi-single track that is fun to play on. The only bad part is you gotta watch out for the Goat Head's (stickers)... lots of flats to be had around there.

Also head-ons. It's *very* overgrown and the sight distance around the conrner is nil in some places. I was riding super slow out there and some guys came blowing down the trail and took me out.

Along the CC bike path, West side of Havana, before the JFK golf course. There is about a mileor so of semi-single track that is fun to play on. The only bad part is you gotta watch out for the Goat Head's (stickers)... lots of flats to be had around there.

There is actually single track on the CC trail a good deal of the way to downtown.. it's really rocky in spots and no great climbing, but parts of it are rather technical...

Advice

One, dont give up mountain biking just because you live kinda far away. Move closer to the foothills, seriously. If thats not feasible go early on saturdays and sundays. Despite what people will say about trails being crowded on weekends they probably show up at 10. Get to the trail by 8 an you're set. Also buy Falcon Guide for Mountain biking in the Denver/Boulder area by Bob D'Antonio.